Snow!

The snow has finally come after a full week of anticipating it's arrival.  We've been preparing for the storm because people take their snow seriously here.  I used to make fun of it, I mean, what's the big deal with a little snow but on Wednesday, we had a dusting of snow and it caused 1,000 car accidents.  So, I guess that hunkering down for a few days isn't such a bad thing.  

 

It started to snow on Friday and continued on through Saturday night.  We got over two feet in just over 24 hours.  It was crazy!  Heber and I were talking about the times that we had seen this much snow at one time and they were few.  I thought of one winter in my childhood living in the yellow house on Main Street and Heb thought of one from his childhood too.  Living in Logan, we saw quite a bit of snow but usually it would build up over time and not in one big storm. 

When we were first married, we lived in a red brick bungalow house that didn't have a garage.  We had parking spots that came right off the street and the plows would blow through and block our cars right in.  This shouldn't be a huge deal but I drove a little white Saturn at the time.  Our neighbors were always out shoveling and we'd work to get the cars cleared out.  One January, they had a huge mound out front that they plopped their real Christmas tree.  There it stayed until it all thawed out.  Heber and I started dating right at the end of January too so it always brings back a lot of memories of snowball fights and snowy date nights. 

We have been digging out the snow and playing outside as much as possible.  It's been neat to see all of our neighbors come together and help each other out.  There was even a knock at the door yesterday from one of our neighbors who brought by a case of beer to thank Heber for his help in digging them out.  Heb and I had a good laugh over that one.

We've had a couple of nice sunny days to make all the snow more tolerable and fun.   The kids have loved it.  Leo digs and climbs the big mounds.  Amy likes to sled and pat the snow.  It's been a pretty relaxing few days.  Heber headed to work today, which made it feel not quite so fun and vacationy.  Now, it's just real life without the option of going to any of our normal activities.  

 

 

Real Love Stories

Everywhere I look there are epic love stories.  How many movies have I seen, books have I read recording these stories.  They are often big monumental stories.  I mean, who didn't read the Twilight series or Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice?

Well, let me tell you a real love story.

I have been sick this week.  I mean, like I haven't hardly been off the couch in four days.  In mom world, that is an eternity.  The kids have been watching gobs of TV and turning the house into a disaster.  I've been so sick that I actually went to the doctor, which I never do. 

In all of this crazy, Heber picked up the pieces every night.  He stayed in the morning to drive Leo to school.  He put the kids to bed.  He even took a day off to drive me to the doctor, bought me a magazine and fresca. 

This week I read an article of things learned from Anne of Green Gables (some of my favorite books), one of the things was, "Don't miss out on true love by expecting a fairy tale."  So true.  Love is the little things, it's saying nice things or cleaning the kitchen.  It's bringing someone their prescription or even just a drink. 

I'm glad I didn't miss my true love.

2015.

My mind is filled with memories from the past year.  Most of our recent years have had huge notable things marking them like graduating from school, moves, new babies.  We had none of those major things this year and I am so grateful.  We could settle into real life and work on building things up.

It's all felt like a blur.  In the past we've had these big notable milestones to mark the days but not this year.  It was day in and day out caring for a home.  It was adjusting to life with two active toddlers.

We rang in the new year with two celebrations.  The first was with my mom group with celebration at noon.  My friend was so sweet to remember Amy's birthday.  There were so many toddlers and so many noisemakers.  In the evening, we went out to dinner out with friends, had a fire and our burning of grievances, smores and fireworks.  I went to bed that night feeling so content.  There are so many good things happening here, the year really ended on a high note for me. 

It has not been the easiest year.  I think I'm more tired then I have ever been in my life but I have grown.  I have a much better sense about who I am and what I'm capable of.  Here are some of my favorite parts:

- Visiting friends and family in Utah.  There were so many parts I loved: going to Logan and seeing some of my best friends, spending time with my family, swimming, shopping at my favorite haunts.  The best was celebrating Easter up in Ophir, an old tradition that I never thought I would see again.  Even thinking about it brings me so much happiness.

- Going to Outer Banks with my parents.  We love the beach and it was so fun to introduce my mom and dad to the most beautiful place on Earth.

- Making new friends.  We've only been here just over a year and it takes a long time to make friends.  I've met some wonderful people and can see my life taking shape here.

- Growing into motherhood.  This year has been hard and I can see myself growing all the time in the way I parent, in how I think about parenthood.  I'm so thankful to be a mom and to be able to be home with them.

- I learned about following my gut and intentionally choosing what I put my energy into.

- I think I finally settled into life here.  For a long time I've worried and wondered about our choice to upend our life.  I wondered what we should have done and have come to some peace about the whole situation.  I am here and I'm going to make the best life I can.

- Making our house a home.  Our house feels like home now with all of the work and organization I've put in this year.  We've found furniture that works, I've sewed pillows, painted so many walls.  I'm proud of this place.  

- I found my voice in glass this year.  I spent some focused time this summer while taking a glass class at the Workhouse and am in awe of how much I grew and progressed over the short time.  I am so excited to continue down this path.  I have made my most favorite work this year.

- Heber and I celebrated 10 years.  I have felt so happy to be with Heb.  He was in a car accident this summer and I spent the next few months being so grateful for him.  We've faced big things together and done it all as a team.

So, that's my year.  Looking forward, I've been writing some resolutions for the new year.  
This week I've been thinking about new years resolutions.  I think I'm actually going to write some.  It's been ages since I have thought past survival mode and it is exciting.  I can't wait to see what 2016 brings. 

December Snipets

 We went into Old Town earlier this month to see a boat parade.  I thought, boy that sounds fun and festive and not too bad with toddlers.  I have not been so wrong about something in a long time.  It took us hours to get close and to park.  By the time we got up there, the parade was long gone.  Well, you can't win them all.

We ran down to Occoquan one Saturday to pick out Christmas ornaments.  It was a major melt down.  Oh the emotions of 2s sand 4 year olds.

I got to sing a duet in church.  It made me remember how much I love singing.  I sang with the choir the Sunday before Christmas and have been asked to sing two more times in the next month. 

On Christmas Eve, Heber discovered that his wallet was missing.  He'd gone to a movie the night before so assumed it must be there but no one had turned it in.  He went down to the theater and found it wedged behind the seat after almost a full day.  We were thankful.

A few days before Christmas, I received word of the passing of one of my cousins.  It was a heartbreaking situation and it really shifted my holiday away from worrying about all the presents and back to being grateful for all that I have.    

One of the big holiday highlights for me was the sugar cookies.  Did you read my post at the beginning of the month where I said I was dreaming about my Aunt's cookies?  Well, go back and read it if you need.  This year, I was able to get her recipe.  I was sworn to secrecy so I can't share it here but they were incredible and a true taste of home. 

Christmas Eve

Another Christmas has come and gone.  Here we are ten days later and it feels like months ago, well except for all the decorations that have not yet been put away.  I loved our Christmas this year.  I honestly thought I would be missing my family and the traditional things (and I did that too), but we were joined by some friends that made for a festive and wonderful holiday.  We stayed up way too late playing games and talking (in between settling sad babies).  We watched our kids experience the magic of Christmas.  We ate delicious food at home and out.  It made all that preparation that goes into Christmas worth it.  You know what I mean about preparation, my mom said that Christmas is like a part time job from November on and she is totally right.

For Christmas Eve, we went into the city (because you have to do something to make it feel special) and had brunch at Founding Farmers. We ran over to see the National Christmas Tree which is the closest thing Heber and I had to a white Christmas (get it?).  Leo was wishing for snow the whole holiday.  I guess he thought that Christmas equals snow.  We'll try better next year.

I took a short detour to the Renwick Gallery, which I've been dying to visit.  They recently reopened the entire gallery with new exhibits that are incredible.  I really wanted to see the Chihuilli chandelier, you know, the greatest glass artist of our generation.  Whenever I can see one of his works in person it's amazing.

We pressed our luck and went over to visit the Botanical Gardens.  Somehow they were still peaceful even in all the holiday craziness.  We liked the trains but the kids were just about done by that point.  We headed home and cooked a nice meal and threw everybody in bed just in time for the Christmas magic to happen.

Ready to see what Santa brought

This was the first year that Leo was really excited for Santa to come.  It was so fun to see them open up their gifts and to be happy with all the little things.  Amy would open a present, pull it out excitedly and say, "ta da!" Heber surprised me with a new camera lens (!) and a hexagon knob press.  I can see all the beautiful knobs now, I can't wait!

 

It was busy and wild but such a great holiday.